These sessions are made to be used alongside the Children's Ripple Resources developed by Jill Hamilton, Diocesan Children's Worker. Session 1: Danger for the Baby Bible Passage: Exodus 1-2v10 You can explore the idea of God being in control using this bible passage and how the young people can relate to this truth. Activity Get the young people to draw a big hand, they can trace around their own or draw free hand. Write this verse from Isaiah 14v27a at the top of the page: "When the Lord All-Powerful makes a plan, no one can change it." Get the young people to put the things they are worried about or feel out of their control into the hand. Let them know that as they write things down it can be committed to be under God's control. 1. Why was Joseph important in Egypt? 2. How did God provide for the midwives? What did they do? Why? 3. What does it mean to 'fear' God? 4. Were the people in trouble whenever Moses was born? 5. How did God intervene at this point for the people? Introduction to Moses You might want to get your young people to spend a few minutes on their own reading an introduction to who Moses was. You could print off copies of the introduction included on the following page.
Introduction to Moses "Moses is undoubtedly one of the central figures of the Old Testament. He is known for his unique relationship with God, his dynamic rescue of the Israelites from Egypt, and his encounter with a burning bush! Yet when we look closely we discover that Moses was, in fact, as ordinary as you and me. There were times when he failed miserably, when he took God s work into his own hands, when he tried to get out of doing what God wanted him to do, when he ran away instead of facing the consequences of his actions, when his red hot temper got the better of him, and when he blatantly ignored God s command and did his own thing and let s not forget the small matter of a murdered Egyptian! Moses was someone who truly knew what it means to be on a journey with God: one day he was up the next he was down; one day he was walking close to God the next he couldn t sense God anywhere around; one day he trusted the next day he doubted Sound familiar? Yet there was something different, something about Moses that enabled him to become the great man of history we read about today, something that inspired him, excited him, motivated him and kept him walking in steadfast determination towards that Promised Land. Moses was a man completely surrendered to his God. He laid his life down before God and chose to be God s man for the hour. Moses picked himself up when he made mistakes and didn t wallow in self-pity. He faced his feelings of inadequacy and battled with his temptations. He was a man sure of his purpose, and completely focused on fulfilling the task God had given him to the best of his ability. God gave Moses the power to develop from a stuttering shepherd into a national leader and powerful orator. His courage, humility and wisdom moulded the Hebrew slaves into a nation. But Moses was one person who did not let success go to his head. In the end God was still Moses best friend. His love, respect and awe for God had grown daily throughout his life. Moses knew that it was not any greatness in himself that made him successful; it was the greatness of the all-powerful God in whom he trusted. Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. (Deuteronomy 34:10 12 NIV) It would be more than a thousand years before one greater than Moses appeared Jesus." From ALOVE Salvation Army UK Resource: http://alove.salvationarmy.org.uk/sites/employmentplus.salvationarmy.org.uk/files/attac hments/2016%20series%201.pdf
Session 2: Moses the Shepherd Bible Passage: Exodus 2v11-4 v20. You could get the young people thinking about how God has revealed himself. 1. Has God ever done anything unexpected in your life? Have you heard a story about God acting in an unexpected way in someone else's life? 2. What does Holy mean to you? 3. How do you understand the importance of God's holiness? Does it help to explain why Jesus had to die? 4. If you could choose, how would you ask God to reveal himself to you? How do you think you would react if it happened? 5. What did God ask Moses to do? 6. Do you think you could respond to a similar call from God to help God fulfill his plans for those in slavery across the world? What do you think could be done to help? Reflection on Reality Why not get your young people to read through the following quote: What was that Midian desert like? Incredibly barren. Hot, arid sand and gravel, punctuated by craggy chunks of rock, with an occasional scraggly bush somehow clinging to life. Can you visualise Moses stumbling through that wasteland, catching his tailored clothing on thorns, tripping and lurching over half-submerged rocks, picking his way through that tortured wilderness? Moses wasn t strutting down the road singing, I Did It My Way. He was a frightened and disillusioned fugitive, running, escaping for his very life. His vaunted education now meant nothing to him. His knowledge of hieroglyphics and Egyptian poetry gave him no comfort. His military victories seemed hollow. Thanks to a rash act of violence, that same military wanted to kill him. And with every step he probably groaned within himself over his untimely deed, saying things like, Life is over. God can never, never use me. I m absolutely finished. He was wrong, of course. But it would be many weary years before he fully realised that fact. (Charles Swindoll: Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication) Red Nose Desert Challenge This video could help the young people understand the experience of the Israelites and how they would have felt about God's plan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kmrttpnneo
Session 3: Activity Week Bible Passage Read Exodus 4v1-17 Get the young people to explore the proof that God provided to Moses and his issues with needing convinced about God's plan. Proving Your Identity Imagine none of the leaders know who you are, you say they should know or that they've known you for a long time but they are totally sure that they don't know you. Create a plan to convince them and prove to them who you are & how you connect with them. Video Why not get your young people to view the video entitled "The Name of God" under the Village Church Resources, http://exodus.thevillagechurch.net/ This video can help to connect how Moses' experience at the Burning Bush can add to his proof of who God is and his plans for his people. Moses asks "but who are you?", this might be a good conversation starter for the young people. Who did Moses realise that God is when we reach Exodus 4? Did Moses still need proof?
Session 4: Bargaining with Pharaoh Bible Passage: Exodus 4v27-6v1 and Exodus 7v10-12v40 Young people could have the opportunity to explore what it looks like to obey God. 1. Have you every struggled to obey God? 2. Have you ever felt like he's asked you to do something that you did not want to do? 3. How does God respond to us when we say 'I can't'? 4. Which of the plagues would be the worst? Prayer Activity Option 1: God's miraculous power in plagues List out the plagues that God brought against Egypt. Could you make any of these happen? Pray to praise God for this power and you might want to pray & ask for help to understand the ways God displays his power through the Bible. Option 2: Help for when I don't feel able At the end of Chapter 4 we read that Moses is helped by Aaron for speaking to the people. Think about who can help you. Whether it be in your faith, in school, at home or to have fun. Pray thanks to God for all those people who help you.
Session 5: The Escape from Egypt Bible Passage: Exodus 13v17-18, 13v20-22, 14v5-31 Set aside some time during this session to get the young people thinking about our powerful God and that he is faithful when we are not. 1. If you could witness any miracles in the Bible, which would you want to see? What would that miracle tell you about who God is? is there a miracle you would want to see now in your life or in your community? 2. Have you ever been in a situation where you realised you couldn't save yourself? Reflection As we read the verses from chapter 13 we see that even in escape, God wants to teach us something. When we read Exodus 13v17-18 we can question how God works and this reminds me of Romans 5v1-5. Why not get your young people to read through the verses in Exodus and Romans. You could get them to write an answer to why did God choose to lead his people around the Phillistine country?
Session 6: Activity Week Bible passage: Exodus 15v22-27 Have the young people think about the journey of God's people & God ultimately being in control Mapping Escape to the Promised Land Using the template on the next page or you can create your own, why not get your young people to create a map of where the Israelites travelled to using the scriptures in order. You could also show them the map on http://exodus.thevillagechurch.net/ which links it with current maps of the same area. 1. Exodus 13v18-20 2. Exodus 14v2-3 3. Exodus 15v22-27 4. Exodus 17v1 5. Exodus 19v1-2 6 Exodus 19v17-22 If you want to give them a more in depth project with some extra research you could use Numbers 33. Video This video from The Bible Project is a great summary of Exodus chapters 1-18 and might be useful at this point to summarise and set the scene for more of the story, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh_aojnjm3e
Mapping the Journey
Session 7: God provides for his people Bible Passage: Exodus 16 v 1-17 The young people can spend some time thinking about what God has provided for them & how to build thankfulness into their day to day lives. 1. Reflecting on Exodus 16v11-12 we see that God hears their grumbling, what do you grumble about? 2. From those same verses, God tells them what he will provide to his people. How has God provided for you? 3. In these verses, God tells Moses that it is from his provision that his people will know he is the Lord. Do you believe it is God who gives good things and provides? Read James 1v17 and ask if we think we earn some of the good things we have? Challenge Lets think about how we can steward what we are given better! There are some good youth activities available here: http://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/quick- Stewardship-Activity-Ideas-for-Youth.pdf It has been developed by the Anglican Church of Canada.
Session 8: God's ten rules Bible Passage: Exodus 19v1-2, 16-25 and Exodus 20v1-17 Get your young people chatting about what it means to give guidance to those you love. Activity Get the young people to imagine & form a new society together. Some helpful questions might be: If you could create your own world, what rules would you establish? How would you order the world? Have you ever played Sims before? How did you find the role of being creator & ordering lives? What was the result? 1. Why do you think the 10 commandments were given to Moses & not before then? 2. What does Exodus 20v20 teach us about living as a follower of God? 3. How do you see God's rules affect our society today? 4. Are there any rules in your family/home which you don't understand or feel like they are not there to be helpful? Video This video by The Bible Project considering Exodus 19-40 helps to give some context to the Covenant promises given and shared at Mount Sinai. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onptha80yye
Session 9: Activity Week Bible Passage: Exodus 15v1-21 Have the opportunity for the young people to reflect on God being our strength and refuge (Psalm 46v1). 1. Have you experienced God being your strength or refuge? 2. How does the experience of Moses teach us about God being our strength & refuge? Activity Building your refuge A refuge is a safe place. Challenge your young people to build a refuge in your meeting room. You might want to bring them some boxes, pillows, lights etc. Ask them to build it together and decorate the inside. They could use the verse from Psalm 46 or the truths from Exodus. Invite your younger children to look inside the refuge at the end of your time.